She rose from poverty and became the youngest female boxer to ever achieve eight world titles. But, through her struggling success, star boxer Jizelle Salandy remained humble and committed to improving the lives of her family. Despite her small earnings, Salandy never wanted her two nieces to face the hardships she and her siblings – sister Josanne,23, and brother Jason,25, had to face. Showing her love, Salandy 21, who on Sunday died after the car she was driving crashed into a pillar in Sea Lots, Port-of-Spain, had vowed to look after the lives of her nieces–10-month-old Kianna and two-year-old Kamaria. Salandy ensured that her nieces would not have to struggle and live a poverty-stricken life several months ago when she named Kianna and Kamaria the sole beneficiaries of her $500,000 insurance policy.
Kianna is the daughter of her mute brother Jason. Kamaria is the first child for her sister Josanne, who on Boxing Night gave birth to baby boy Kevaughn, hours before her sister fought her last fight beating Dominican Republic fighter, Yahada Hernandez. The insurance policy was with a well-known insurance company and the benefits would be kept in trust until both girls turn 18. Relatives, in an interview yesterday, said Salandy opted to open the insurance policy after she fell ill several months ago. Confirming there was an insurance policy, Salandy's grieving sister Josanne said, "I went with her to open insurance so I knew she was insured.
"Really and truly I cannot remember the amount because it was never an issue and we never really discussed it. "The insurance was just in case something was to happen, but we were never expecting this. "I know anything my sister had she would have left it for her nieces because she loved those children like her own. "On Boxing Day before she fought, she cuddled both children when she came home. She loved them like her own. "Everything she had was for them." Salandy's manager Buxo Potts also confirmed that the boxing champ had been insured. Potts said,"She was insured. She had things in place and every thing goes to her two nieces."
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An official of the insurance company did not want to confirm if Salandy had been insured, but said only the legal guardian of the children had the authority to break the policy. The official said, "This can only be done in extreme circumstances. For instance, if the children need medical treatment or are homeless. If this is to be done, the legal guardian has to get consent from the court. If the money is not touched, it will incur interest until the children reach the legal age to withdraw it."
